0833 rfid for construction

8/3/2019 0833 RFID for Construction

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FSN Application Brochure 0833

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RFID for Construction Sites

And Facilities Management

Construction sites are challenging environments to

manage with many critical questions to answer:

'Where is Frank? - We need him right now.'

'How many Part ABC are currently on hand? - We need twenty or we can't start the next phase.'Where is Part 123? - The crew is waiting.' ‘What is the Warranty date on that part?’

To meet these challenges, more and a more construction companies and site contractors

are benefiting by integrating RFID technology in their day-to-day operation of constructionsites and projects.

The ROI is amazing for so many aspects of this industry. When RFID is used properly you

will end up utilizing all of your resources more effectively. The impact to the bottom line willbe dramatic.

RFID has found its way into almost every corner of today's fast moving, always looking for

increased efficiency, world. FSN has the right RFID technology for your constructionbusiness requirements. By combining the latest in passive and active RFID with Omnitrol’s

edge appliance and middleware solution available from FSN, your operation will quicklyenjoy the benefits of this new enabling technology.

You know your business the best. Here are some common 'pain points' that the construction

industry is wrestling with and that can profit through the use of RFID:

• Labor Efficiency/Productivity

• Out-Of-Stock Management•

Inventory Management• Receiving Shipping Accuracy• Reduced Claims

• Reduced Non-usable Items• Reduced Diversion

• Product Recall Management

• Better Visibility

• Better Fulfillment

• Product Integrity

• Reducing Product Obsolescence Costs

• Tracking and Managing Spare Parts

Inventory• Facilitating Statistical Process Control• Enabling Lot/Batch Track and Trace

• Ensuring Worker Safety• Reducing Returns and Warranty Claims

• Reducing Scrap, Waste andObsolescence

• Better Planning and Forecasting

• Better Processes in Vendor Managed





• Increasing Capacity Utilization andYield

• Reducing Cycle Time

• Improving Product Quality

• Ensuring Timely Preventative

Maintenance

InventorySystems Related to Reordering

• Traceability and Safety of Products by

AvoidingCounterfeiting

• Better Asset Management and Handlingof

Returnable Assets

Increasingly, developers and building owners are seeing the benefits of integrating RFID into the construction phase with a view that such RFID and sensor enablement will automate many aspects of the facilities management, especially energy management, once the building is operational.

With Omnitrol’s built-in middleware and set of customer defined business rules, actions are implemented automatically when the RFID Readers detect certain real-time threshold conditions.

In various reviews of the Construction Industry, a number of potential application areas for RFID

technology have emerged. These included component tracking, inventory management (small tools asthe example) and equipment monitoring.Suggested applications for the future include guided control of equipment and maintenance applications,tags that can communicate temperature, vibration, fatigue or excessive stress in concrete and steelmembers, and concepts for safety management.As a result of large allocations of R&D investments, the technology has rapidly evolved and improved inquality in just the last 2 or 3 years as well as witnessing significant cost reductions.

Ideally, the RFID tags for construction applications could also be planned for utilization for managementof the completed facility, thereby further enhancing the justification for the expenditure on the RFIDsystem and, importantly, adding value to the facility by automating or at least simplifying the facilitiesmanagement process. Indeed, asset tagging and tracking and energy management are frequently citedas applications from which real value could be added to the management of facilities.

Before examining individual applications, it is instructive to note the broader picture and understand theimplications of introducing RFID technology into the construction sector generally. Three broad areas areinvolved:1. Value and supply chains in the construction process, including the subsequent management offacilities.2. RFID technology – its practical implementation and the results produced.3. Handling the large quantity of data generated by RFID systems and the use of agent technology.

THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR VALUE CHAIN

1. Recognizing the value chainThe drive towards more efficient construction is well illustrated by examining the value chain, whichfollows the lifecycle of a building from raw materials through to the management of the completed facility.Construction projects today more and more less frequently follow the conventional (i.e. linear) modelwhere completed buildings were handed over to the owner.Today, it is not uncommon for the constructor to retain a measure of control either as part-owner oras the operator of the asset or facility, as would occur under various integrated procurement routes. Inthis way, the cost efficiency of the completed facility becomes the constructor’s responsibility and so it isas important to manage the facility as if it were the construction phase – perhaps more so.





2. Value chain modeling

A company’s core competences can be determined by using a value chain model to analyse where costadvantages can be gained in performing activities. Value chain modeling separates the businesssystem into a series of value-generating activities subdivided into primary and support activities

3. Security – control of access to facilitiesManagement of facilities requiring control of access may use RFID tags attached to employees’ IDbadges; this method is already in use in hotels and commercially sensitive sites to permit/control staffaccess to specific areas. Safety requirements also requires real-time data on all personnel on site at alltimes.FSN can integrate the RFID location system with infrared motion sensors which trigger tracking camerasenabling, for example, the identification of unauthorized access.

4. InventoryControl of inventory is one of the widest application areas of RFID technology, and is used forapplications ranging from hand-tool logging on construction sites to parts and building materials.

5. Construction site delivery logistics and materials tracking

Materials tracking management systems are able to provide site managers with the ability to determineconstruction progress and materials delivered from centralized reports or by simply walking around a sitewhere all materials are identified and tagged using an RFID system. This would guarantee more accurateestimates of the number and quantity of delivered goods and enable reliable monitoring of ‘percentageconstruction complete’.

The RFID system is seen to show the way to several improvements.1. Reduction of costs incurred from wastage of materials, theft and check-in waiting times formaterial.2. Agent technology enhances communications by informing the driver immediately where thematerial is to be placed. The agent will confirm delivery of the material with the supplier via theinternet and the supplier’s website or e-mail address as soon as the material is sent through thedelivery gate. The site engineer will be informed as soon as material has arrived on site and can

respond and issue further instructions if necessary. If there are any discrepancies, the driver will beinformed as will the supplier. The key point to note is that this communication will be immediate,so any problems can be resolved as soon as they become apparent.3. Time savings will result due to efficient document management. There should be less paperwork,no invoices for the delivery personnel to complete, as all will be automated by the system.Information will be in electronic form and include instructions for the vehicle driver to follow.Multiple handling of documents will be significantly reduced.

6. Document trackingRFID technology can be used for rapid document tracking, essential in the construction phase to identifythe latest version of files and drawings, and also in the facilities management phase to locate originalbuild specifications and layouts. Each document is tagged with an adhesive smart label (RFID printedcircuit) that contains a unique ID together with human readable information. The file description is enteredinto a database along with its tracking number and can be assigned certain parameters like expirationdate, permitted movement and personnel authorized to see it. Over time, the database could build up anaudit trail of the handling and workflow history of each document file.

7. Product life cycle trackingManufactured components of all kinds are already using RFID tags for tracking their progress throughproduction and delivery processes. The same tags should be suitable for continued use during the lifecycle of the component. A useful illustration of this development comes from the Michelin tire company,which is now providing product lifetime identification for automobile tires. UHF RFID tags embedded intotires are being used to





identify the manufacturer’s name and plant, store the time and date of manufacture, tire dimension andpressure specifications. Once the tire is installed on a new vehicle the tire identification number and thevehicles VIN (vehicle ID number) are downloaded to a computer database enabling manufacturers tomake targeted, quick recalls.The automotive industry will extend this application to provide vehicle maintenance and service records

by means of the RFID tags embedded within tires. Such information in conjunction with the car’sodometer could track the mileage of the vehicle and alert the driver when the tires need to be rotated.Since the tags are rewritable, international standards would enable the car to have an up-to-date serviceand maintenance record regardless of the mechanic or station that has provided work.This application is automotive, but clearly could be applied directly to buildings and facilities for use withvirtually any equipment that requires regular servicing, functionality checking and logging, safetyinspection and recording etc. The safety application is significant, as automated electronic record keepingcan provide regular unbiased records that are virtually tamper-proof. RFID tags containing pertinentsafety information, including regular test records, could be attached to safety equipment such as slings,safety harnesses and belts, scaffolding and hardhats. Similarly, containers of hazardous materials cancarry their own handling instructions and usage records in an attached read-write tag.

8. Location of buried servicesBuried pipes and cables can be located using attached RFID tags, so long as the read range is notexceeded. For plastic pipes, a more suitable technology uses magnetic nanoparticles during production ofthe pipe. It is possible to introduce conductivity into plastics by simply mixing in conductive nanoparticlesin the production process. Thus, magnetic nanoparticles can be used to introduce a unique magnetic‘signature’ to plastic items, which can then be scanned like barcodes. In the construction field, this wouldallow simple and accurate location and identification of underground services such as gas and waterpipes, communications cables etc. If the magnetic signatures are repeated at regular intervals along theentire length of the pipes and cables, they could be tracked throughout the site.

9. RFID – sensor and network combinationsRFID active tags can be interfaced to networked sensing systems to add further capability to the basicread or read/write tag data function. Wireless networks within a facility, a hospital for example, will allowreal-time location of vital mobile assets. This provides an ability to find equipment immediately and alsoimproves asset utilization, as well as reducing theft.RFID tags with integrated sensors provide not just simply ‘electronic bar code’ data, but measurements ofphysical parameters such as temperature, shock (acceleration) and even GPS-enabled tracking. Suchsensors can be applied to civil structures, buildings, dams, bridges and tunnels to prevent or, at least,warn engineers of fatigue or failure. Sensors will be deeply embedded within these structures, supplyingdata when scanned for shear, strain, pressure and other forces that can affect them, using wirelessnetworks to return the scanned results to a data centre, thereby saving the expense of sending out safetyinspectors and engineers to monitor the structures.

10. Building Energy ControlNetworked RFID devices with physical sensors complement other developments in sensor networks.These combine recent advances in sensor miniaturization, wireless communication, and micro-systemtechnology to form networks of tiny autonomous sensors that can make accurate measurements ofenvironmental parameters such as temperature humidity, light, acceleration etc. without the necessity of

laying cables. Building energy control systems have been generally restricted to prestige projects, as thewiring and signal conditioning costs for the many sensors are prohibitive; but the development of theserelatively inexpensive devices using radio communications across their network brings the possibility ofaccurate climate control for all buildings down to individual house level.

Once distributed around a building, the sensors would form a network relaying data about each room’stemperature, light, humidity, occupancy etc. to a central computer that would regulate energy usage in thebuilding, optimizing the energy delivery to each room and using passive heating and ventilation controlmethods wherever possible.





CONCLUSION:

The breadth of example applications given above indicate that RFID and its associated sensing andnetworking technologies are having a major role in facilities management.

The goal of using RFID on the construction site for material flow management is to speed the flow ofmaterials and make sure work days are not lost due to the proper materials not being on hand. Inaddition, RFID can help manage the official safety documentation required by authorities after certainbuilding steps are finished, because RFID allows building components to be tracked after construction iscomplete.

When a driver moves his vehicle through a portal erected at the construction site's entrance, a RFID interrogator was used to read the casing tags.

EPC Gen 2 tags are also attached on facade elements, and on the crates in which they were transported, in

order to track them during the transportation phase. They also applied a passive tag on the facade element's

frame, for tracking the elements following installation.

When a truck loaded with crates of facade elements passed through the RFID portal erected at the construction site's entrance, the portal reader interrogated the UHF tags. Once the facade elements were installed onto the building, workers could use a handheld RFID interrogator to identify each tag. Facility managers can subsequently interrogate the tags on the installed facade elements to track their maintenance history.

Tagged crates loaded with tagged

facade elements. A truck carrying tagged facade elements passes an RFID gate.





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FALKEN Secure Networks(FSN)—Your partner for RFID automation

If you choose to pursue RFID implementation in your organization, here is the FALKEN Secure Networks

commitment to you:

• FSN will provide solution architects to work with you to define system requirements for your

particular installation. Multiple locations can be networked together for a central and real-time

view and centralized management.

• FSN will do a RFID site survey to validate radio frequencies, tag types, system design and

performance

• FSN will provide all necessary hardware and software to make the system work for you

• FSN will integrate the system with your existing enterprise management software

• FSN will provide documentation for the system, including operating procedures

• FSN will train your people

• FSN will provide warranty and continued system support

For RFID-enabled Document Tracking and Management, FALKEN Secure Networks (FSN) and partners

bring together the right technologies to give you control over your files and make your office run more

efficiently. Our automated and secure processes save time and labor, and prevent problems before they

occur. With FSN ,you get the latest, non-proprietary secure RFID technology with the most powerful and

flexible RFID file tracking software available.

Contact Us

FALKEN Secure Networks is a specialized System Integrator, RFID Solution Architect, and Value-Added

Reseller with focused expertise in the RFID site survey, cost-effective design, and turn-key project

implementation.

Contact FSN at [email protected]

Authorized Value-Added Reseller

0833 rfid for construction

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